“I am confident his skills will strengthen our board and provide positive benefits to central New Zealand’s importers and exporters who rely on the port to get their products to market quickly and cost-effectively,” he said.

Mr Abeywickrama replaces John Shaskey who retired from the board due to unforeseen health reasons on 31 August 2015.

At the AGM, Wendie Harvey was also reappointed as a Napier Port director for a further three year term, after joining the board in 2013.